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However, this would remove πνευματικοῖς from the last clause "πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συνκρίνοντες" and leave only "πνευματικὰ συνκρίνοντες". Would "συνκρίνοντες" without a dative be valid? ESV and NIV seem to allow this (interpreting συνκρίνοντες as "interpreting"/"explaining") , but NASB and WEB seem to require the dative to complete the "comparing"/"combining" of the accusative and the dative.

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed.) (953). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Unless the phrase πνεύματος πνευματικοῖς is a set phrase used in Patristic literature and elsewhere, I would be reluctant to separate the instrumental dative πνευματικοῖς from συνκρίνοντες; the two words seem made for each other; 'comparing the spiritual with the spiritual' (and not with the human elements of life).

However, this would remove πνευματικοῖς from the last clause "πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συνκρίνοντες" and leave only "πνευματικὰ συνκρίνοντες". Would "συνκρίνοντες" without a dative be valid? ESV and NIV seem to allow this (interpreting συνκρίνοντες as "interpreting"/"explaining") , but NASB and WEB seem to require the dative to complete the "comparing"/"combining" of the accusative and the dative.

It seems most natural to me to keep the comma where it has been placed and carry over σοφίας λόγοις from ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις to get ἐν διδακτοῖς πνεύματος [λόγοις]. To delete (or leave unexpressed) words that can easily be supplied from the previous context is very common.

Another question is whether πνευματικοῖς in πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συνκρίνοντες is to be taken as neuter or masculine. The next two verses set up a contrast between the soulish/unspiritual and spiritual person: ψυχικός ἄνθρωπος and πνευματικός ἄνθρωπος. Because of that, I prefer to take the masculine option: spiritual people. We also need to compare συγκρίνω with ἀνακρίνω. It seems to me that Paul (and other spiritual teachers) are the ones to συγκρίνειν while the hearers are the ones to ἀνακρίνειν. This leads me to accept BDAG sense 3 and the interpretation found in LSJ for this verse:

In that case Paul is saying that he is interpreting or explaining spiritual things to spiritual people, while the spiritual people are to evaluate and examine carefully what they are told (especially by unspiritual people). Paul is doing this explanation in a spiritual manner because he was taught by the Spirit.